Butte semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1886-1890, 1887-01-08

sned tho ny1ng team IN q rae Tor me O
death, and life won. Pretty soon the Light
of Eagle City began to loom up through tn
night, and q moment later the broken down
animals dragged their unconscious burden
into the center Of the town.
3Hellol" exclaimed Hank Potter, in amaze
ment, "What have we here3 A woman BY
all that's holy. Here, you Stevens and
Campbell. and half a dozen others, come lend
a hand. Move this poor critter into thu
shack"
She was lifted tenderly by rough but gentle
bands and laid carefully upon q u d couch
in a log hut near by.
"Any doctor in the crowdl" called out Pot
ter, coming to the door of the cabin and look
ing over the curious assemblage.
"Here, here, and here" answered as many
embryo physicians, each of whom had diplo'
mas, If not practice. Potter, who seemed to
be a self-instituted master Of ceremonies,
singled out an elderly looking man, who evil
IDENTIFY had the advantage of age, if not expe-
rience, over the others, and together the two
men entered the cabin where the woman lay
still unconscious. In about fifteen minutes
the rough miner appeared at the door, and
| informed the crowd that the passenger was
| all right, but that the doctor was going to
| stay with her for a little while. That night
the baby came. Potter announced the ar
! rival of the little helpless stranger to the
rest, and said that both mother n child
were doing we'll. "But it's my opinion, boss,
that it's the same old story, and I, for one,
would like to wallop the scoundrel who
would take advantage Of a purity little
! critter like that ar innocent girl in the
shack"
In the meantime the happy mother had
exhibited, with becoming pride, to the physi-
clan who attended her, the wedding ring on
her finger; and the doctor, by a few ques-
lions discreetly put, soon made himself
master of the story. Hank Potter was given
the substance in detail, and lost no time in
communicating it to the crowd outside.
While they looked on in amazement, he
bounded into their midst and shouted at the
top of his lungs:
"Whoop, hoorayl it's all right boys; the
kids genuin', and no mistake. Let's give
three cheers for the first baby born in the
gulch, and then we'll 60 in the health offus
over thar and set EN- up for luck"
The strange conglomeration Of humanity
broke into a shout that filled the valley from
pit to dome: a shout that was echoed back
in a hundred reverberations from the dis
tant peaks. The great hearted animals &C
tually fashioned a rude cradle from willow
boughs, which they sent as a present to the
enterprising youngster who had consented to
be born among them. That day and the fol-
lowing night the gulch went on a SPREE. As
soon as the mother was able, she made it
H.---- A. ~ $500 L. 80 E~- All L.
wished to come and see her baby boy. How
the rough, big bearded men crowded around
that little child, one asking if he might kiss
it, another if he might lift it, and the third
the privilege of seeing it fed from a bottle.
Gold in handfuls was thrown by the rough
miners into the little ones cradle until it was
almost smothered under the yellow nuggets.
One poor fellow wanted to hear it cry; and
when baby piped up the miner wept, saying
he had not heard a sound like that for years.
The next day Hank Potter, Bart Stevens and
two or three others were appointed a com
mittee to deliver the $1,000 to the mother
and child.
"This here's all your'n," exclaimed the first
named, as he scraped and paved while adj
dressing the lady, land its fur the ~youngster
in the box over yonder, who belongs to the
company now, you know. Take it, mum,
with al old miners blessing, and keep it fur
the boy till he gets old enough to work his
claim hisself; while he's nussin' and kickin'
around we'll do the right thing and work it
fur him." saying which the rough uncouth
creature, with a suspicion of moisture in his
eye, laid the bulky leather pouch containing
the dust and nuggets at the feat Of the blush
ing, weeping mother, and with the others
backed awkwardly out of the room. The in
dustrious father, alarmed ard frightened at
the mysterious disappearance of his good
wife, sought for her everywhere in vain, and
finally, after widespread inquiry, learned of
her whereabouts. He made all possible
speed to Eagle City, and when he arrived
there it was a happy reunion for the little
family. What cared he for money or
wealth? The mother presented him with a
bouncing big boy, who was worth more to
the fond father than all the gold on earth. +
Nevertheless, his youthful son was evidently
born with a golden spoon in his mouth, as
the pouch contained q veritable fortune for
the poor, hard-worked railroad hand. The
father at once took to mining on his own
account, and soon afterward struck it rich
near the head of Pritchard gulch. The claim |
of the y%oungster was named The Lucky |
Boy" by his mining sponsors, and at last &C
cunts was panning out wonderfully rich
St. Paul Pioneer Press,